The Netherlands is the cheapest place in western Europe to buy food, with prices 2% under the EU average, the national statistics office CBS said on Wednesday.

All other western European countries are more expensive than the Netherlands. Prices in neighbouring Belgium are 8% above the average and in Germany groceries cost 3% more.

Food is most expensive among non-EU members and Denmark is the most expensive place to eat of the 27 EU countries, the CBS said.

The Dutch statistics agency bases its conclusions on figures from the European statistics office Eurostat, which looked at food and drink prices in 38 European countries.

While meat in the Netherlands is more expensive than the EU average, it has gone down in price over the past three years, the CBS said.

Poland is the cheapest place in Europe to do grocery shopping.